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Alright am I crazy for wanting to shoot an elk with my 7mm08. Its just such a nice Encore I want to but should I. I have a perfectly fine Ruger in 30-06 but I love to hunt with the 7mm08. If I did it would be with 140-160 grain MRX from Barnes. Give me your honest opion. | ||
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My elk rifle is my CZ 550 American in 7x57mm. I load it with 162 grain Hornady SSTs and 160 grain Nosler Partitions. Both have been used on elk, whitetail deer, mule deer, wild pigs, antelope, coyote and turkey. My longest shot on elk was right around 325 yards across a small canyon. It was a one-shot. Not exactly a bang-flop, but not a run til he drops shot either. A broadside, at the shot he backed up a couple of steps, sat on his butt and fell over, dead. Those 7x57mm writeups in the reloading books that states one can "get by" with a 7x57mm if he keeps his shots under 200 long paces or so, well, enough of my rantings and ravings. The 7x57mm has the same balistics as the 7/08. I think a 140 grain or 150 grain in the Barnes would do very well thank you. I don't consider it a 400 yard elk rifle, but then, I don't shoot elk that far away with any rifles. There are too many things that can go wrong. If your Encore does it for you, by all means, develope a good load and take off for the elk hills. Good Luck ... Tom Purdom | |||
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Wait for a good brodside shot and keep the range moderate and you'll be ok. I've seen a lot of elk shot with 130or 140 gr bullets from a 270. You're in the same ball park. It wouldn't be my first choice, but it'll work. | |||
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When ever people start talking about hunting elk and moose with 30/30s, 6mms and .243s many people will suggest that they should go UP to something with more power like a 7mm-08. Like any good cartridge, if you do your job and stay within the limitations of the cartridge things will be ok. Robin down under | |||
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I have an old M99 in .250 Savage that came to me from Wyoming. The guy who had it raised a family on elk he shot with it. Also have a book,"The Elk Hunter" by a couple of Montanans, Don Laubach and Mark Henchel. In that book there is talk of lots of elk killed by the old .250 Savage and it's 87 and 100 gr. bullets. Don't think you'll have trouble if you shoot responsibly. | |||
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Knock'em dead | |||
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If you are comfortable with the gun and work with in its and your limitations, I think you will do very good. I know of a guy that killed a bull elk with a 7-30 Waters out of a T/C Contender, and he had no problem. Even the rocks don't last forever. | |||
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I think it is obvious both will work. What you have to ask yourself, is which one do YOU think is most appropriate. If you answer either, then go for it with the 7. You picked a REALLY good bullet. If I had both, I would opt for the 30.06 just because it is bigger, and I want to give an elk all I can, not just what I can. Good luck with your choice, and let us know what you decide. Good shooting!  Ted Kennedy's car has killed more people than my guns | |||
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I am thinking 1 150 grn barnes X...keep it under 250 yds...close to braodside or slight quartering...thru the lungs...yummy elk back straps Mike Never under estimate the internet community's ability to reply to your post with their personal rant about their tangentially related, single occurrence issue.  What I have learned on AR, since 2001: 1. The proper answer to: Where is the best place in town to get a steak dinner? is…You should go to Mel's Diner and get the fried chicken. 2. Big game animals can tell the difference between .015 of an inch in diameter, 15 grains of bullet weight, and 150 fps. 3. There is a difference in the performance of two identical projectiles launched at the same velocity if they came from different cartridges. 4. While a double rifle is the perfect DGR, every 375HH bolt gun needs to be modified to carry at least 5 down. 5. While a floor plate and detachable box magazine both use a mechanical latch, only the floor plate latch is reliable. Disregard the fact that every modern military rifle uses a detachable box magazine. 6. The Remington 700 is unreliable regardless of the fact it is the basis of the USMC M40 sniper rifle for 40+ years with no changes to the receiver or extractor and is the choice of more military and law enforcement sniper units than any other rifle. 7. PF actions are not suitable for a DGR and it is irrelevant that the M1, M14, M16, & AK47 which were designed for hunting men that can shoot back are all PF actions. 8. 95 deg F in Africa is different than 95 deg F in TX or CA and that is why you must worry about ammunition temperature in Africa (even though most safaris take place in winter) but not in TX or in CA. 9. The size of a ding in a gun's finish doesn't matter, what matters is whether it’s a safe ding or not. 10. 1 in a row is a trend, 2 in a row is statistically significant, and 3 in a row is an irrefutable fact. 11. Never buy a WSM or RCM cartridge for a safari rifle or your go to rifle in the USA because if they lose your ammo you can't find replacement ammo but don't worry 280 Rem, 338-06, 35 Whelen, and all Weatherby cartridges abound in Africa and back country stores. 12. A well hit animal can run 75 yds. in the open and suddenly drop with no initial blood trail, but the one I shot from 200 yds. away that ran 10 yds. and disappeared into a thicket and was not found was lost because the bullet penciled thru. I am 100% certain of this even though I have no physical evidence. 13. A 300 Win Mag is a 500 yard elk cartridge but a 308 Win is not a 300 yard elk cartridge even though the same bullet is travelling at the same velocity at those respective distances. | |||
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My wife will be using her 7mm-08 for elk in 2 weeks I'm not worried. | |||
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A friend of mine has killed several cows and a nice 5x5 Roosevelt Bull with his .284 Winchester Model 77. The last cow went 25 yards and the bull was DRT. BJ | |||
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Although I wasn't with him this year, my sometimes-hunting-partner killed a nice fat spike elk last Monday with his Browning Lever in 7mm-08, in central Idaho. He uses the 150 grains Nosler Partition, although I don't know the powder charge. One round. Dead elk. He had Leica lasered the elk and told me it was at 267 yards. Last year he killed a nice six point bull with the same rifle and cartridge combo, at about 175 yards. Again, meat in the freezer. I have killed two bull elk with my .280 Rem. and the 160 grains Nosler Partition bullet. Works for me. If you shoot well, the 7mm-08 will put elk meat in your freezer. Good luck. L.W. "A 9mm bullet may expand but a .45 bullet sure ain't gonna shrink." | |||
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I would suggest a 150 Gr bullet and RL19. | |||
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